Lakeview Hospital receives verification as level III trauma center

Lakeview Hospital , a campus of Tulane Medical Center, was recently verified as a Level III Trauma Center, becoming the first and only hospital in St. Tammany Parish to provide this life-saving level of service to the area’s most critically injured patients.

Lakeview Regional’s trauma center is staffed by highly-specialized surgeons to handle extreme cases of life-threatening and critical injuries where there is an issue of immediate survival. Those events can include traumatic car crash injuries, gunshot wounds, stab wounds, major burns, serious falls, blunt trauma and traumatic brain injuries.

 “Level III trauma status is an important designation for St. Tammany Parish and surrounding parishes, as it assures our residents they will receive the best care possible from an experienced team of board-certified emergency medicine physicians, highly skilled surgeons, trauma nurses and other healthcare professionals in the event of a serious injury or accident,” said Willie Paretti, chairman of Lakeview Hospital advisory board and member of Tulane Health System governing board.

Lakeview Regional’s trauma status was verified by the Verification Review Committee (VRC), an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Lakeview Regional is one of six hospitals in Louisiana with a Trauma Center designation.

“This designation – along with our designation as a Primary Stroke Center, our recognition as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures by the Joint Commission, and comprehensive services such as da Vinci robotic surgery, interventional cardiology and 24/7 neurosurgery – are concrete examples of our commitment to bring together the best and most advanced services, technology, physicians, nurses and healthcare providers,” said Bret Kolman, Lakeview Regional CEO. “Dr. Marco Hidalgo, medical director for Lakeview Regional, and his trauma team are to be commended for achieving this accomplishment.” 

In verifying the Lakeview Regional Trauma Center, the ACS sought to ensure Lakeview Regional could provide not only the hospital resources necessary for trauma care, but also the entire spectrum of care to address the needs of all injured patients. This spectrum encompasses the prehospital phase through the rehabilitation process.